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BALTIMORE – Twice the Orioles left men on second and third.
Twice they had runners thrown out at home.

And no matter how difficult the New York Yankees made it to push
the tying runs across, Baltimore got it done late.

Robert Andino atoned for foibles at the plate, in the field and on
the basepaths by driving in both the tying and winning runs for the
Orioles, who rode stellar relief pitching to come back for a 5-4
win in 10 innings in Thursday’s twice-postponed contest at Camden
Yards.

Andino had been thrown out attempting to steal third and didn’t
cover second on a grounder to shortstop J.J. Hardy. But in the end,
he had reason to smile.

“Everybody knows the Yankees have a good team. This is supposed to
be our day off, so to come out and win especially walk them off
like that, it’s gets good momentum going to Toronto,” Andino
said.

Baltimore (57-85) improved to 3-77 when trailing after seven
innings. However, New York (87-55) won the season series in
dominant fashion, 13-5.

The Orioles swiped the last two contests against the Yankees with
the bullpen deserving much of the credit for the latest
victory.

Starter Alfredo Simon walked a career-high six to put Baltimore in
a 4-1 hole after four frames before five relievers picked him up.
The bullpen held New York to no hits and just two baserunners (two
walks) over six scoreless innings.

Clay Rapada (1-0) earned the win despite facing one batter and
throwing three pitches. Jo-Jo Reyes was perhaps the key with 2 1-3
scoreless frames to follow Simon. Jeremy Accardo induced a double
play out of his only batter. Troy Patton and Kevin Gregg each
tossed 1 1-3 scoreless innings, and put together a stretch of six
consecutive strikeouts.

Rapada wrapped it by eliminating Robinson Cano to end the Yankees’
10th.

“We threw well,” Reyes said. “The last few weeks, we’ve really
concentrated on just pounding the zone and just letting it take
care of itself, and I think it showed today.”

Orioles manager Buck Showalter liked what he saw out of his
relievers, especially considering the opponent.

“The stress to go through that lineup that many times and not give
up any runs after that inning,” Showalter said, trailing off.
“You’d have to be real picky to say anything negative about the
pitching after the fourth inning.”

Baltimore began its comeback with one run in the bottom of the
fourth, cutting the margin to 4-2. The Orioles put runners on
second and third with two outs, but stranded them there when Andino
struck out to end the inning.

Baltimore pressured the Yankees with a similar situation in the
fifth, advancing runners to second and third with one out, but
again left them there.

The Orioles narrowed the margin to 4-3 on back-to-back doubles by
Nolan Reimold and Chris Davis in the sixth.

Baltimore had a shot at drawing even in the seventh when Vladimir
Guerrero doubled to right-center with Nick Markakis on first. The
Yankees executed a perfect relay, getting the ball to catcher
Francisco Cervelli at home a few feet ahead of the runner. Markakis
steamrolled Cervelli, but the catcher held on for the out.

“He’s sitting there with the ball in front of the plate,” Showalter
said. “People have done the same thing to [catcher Matt Wieters].
It’s a baseball play, a great play.”

After Mark Reynolds singled and moved up to third on left fielder
Brett Gardner’s error to start the next inning, the Yankees threw
him out at home two batters later on Davis’ single to center.

But Andino finally got the tying run home for the Orioles with two
outs. The team had begun the day 2-for-10 with runners in scoring
position before Andino’s RBI single to left knotted the score at
4-4.

In the 10th, Baltimore wrapped the win when Reimold hit a one-out
infield single, Davis walked and Andino scorched the game-winning
RBI single down the left-field line.

That ended a long couple of days for both teams, who played 11
innings 24 hours earlier in New York and hit the road right after
Thursday’s makeup.

“Knowing how much it means to the Yankees, and for our guys to play
on the same level of intensity, I’m pretty proud of them,”
Showalter said. “A lot of guys, at 4-1, 3-0, might have had
thoughts of getting through customs in Toronto. But our guys have a
lot of pride.”

Reach staff writer Josh Land at 410-857-7875 or
josh.land@carrollcountytimes.com.

 

© 2011 Carroll County Times. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

BALTIMORE — Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn’t stick around for the outcome of Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox, getting ejected in the bottom of the fifth inning after arguing a blown call by third base umpire Phil Cuzzi.

Showalter’s ejection was dutifully earned, with the skipper bending Cuzzi’s ear for a missed call that helped squelch the Orioles’ lone big inning. On his way back to the dugout, Showalter kicked at the dirt by the third base bag — a little Earl Weaver-esque showmanship that energized the announced crowd of 14,177.

The Orioles trailed 4-0 heading into the fifth, managing just three base runners in four scoreless innings against Severna Park native Gavin Floyd.

The fifth inning was a different story. The Orioles picked up three straight singles to load the bases against Floyd. J.J. Hardy grounded out for the Orioles’ first run and Nick Markakis followed with an RBI single to right. Adam Jones then hit a slow grounder to short that Alexi Ramirez muffed, allowing Hardy to cut the score to 4-3.

With Vladimir Guerrero at the plate and one out, Markakis and Jones orchestrated a double-steal attempt. The throw went to third and TV replays showed that Markakis’s left hand was clearly on the bag before Brent Morel tagged Markakis’s left elbow.

“It’s unfortunate,” Showalter said. “You can usually go back to three or four things that would have made it not matter, but it’s tough when obviously, he’s safe, but it’s tough.”

Cuzzi called Markakis out and Markakis jumped off the bag to immediately complain. Showalter took it from there. The Orioles remained within striking distance due to a strong performance by Chris Jakubauskas, who threw four-plus innings of scoreless relief. He allowed just two hits and two walks. Jakubauskas was needed in the fifth because Jo-Jo Reyes, making his first start as an Oriole, lasted just four innings.

— Baltimore Sun

AP Photo/Patrick Semansky

Baltimore Orioles’ Matt Wieters leaves the batter’s box after striking out in the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox in Baltimore, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2011. Chicago beat Baltimore 4-3.

The Baltimore Orioles had plenty of chances to beat the Chicago White Sox.
A bad call ruined one of those opportunities. The rest of the blame lies on the Orioles themselves.
Baltimore went 3 for 11 with runners in scoring position Tuesday night in a 4-3 loss that featured manager Buck Showalter’s second ejection of the season.
Showalter was tossed after umpire Phil Cuzzi called Nick Markakis out on the front end of a double steal in the fifth inning. Markakis and third base coach Willie Randolph initially protested the call, and Showalter carried the argument to another level before being tossed by Cuzzi. Replays indicated the runner was safe.
That short-circuited a three-run uprising that cut Chicago’s lead to 4-3, and although the Orioles threatened later, they couldn’t score the tying run.
“It’s one of those things. It’s unfortunate,” Showalter said of the call. “You can usually go back to three or four things that would have made it not matter. Obviously, he’s safe, but it’s tough.”
It wouldn’t have mattered if Robert Andino hadn’t missed the tag on a stolen base, which resulted in Chicago’s third run. It wouldn’t have mattered if Markakis didn’t freeze at second base on Vladimir Guerrero’s fourth-inning single and ultimately was stranded at third. And it wouldn’t have mattered if Baltimore pushed across a run in the seventh after getting a runner at third with one out.
“We had plenty of opportunities to capitalize, starting with myself,” Markakis said. “You make small mistakes in the game and they come back and bite you in the butt. … Those kinds of plays are magnified times 10 with the situation that we’re in.”
By losing the first two games of the four-game series, Baltimore will again fail to win its first series since June 24-26. The Orioles are 14-38 since June 10.
Brent Morel homered and drove in two runs and Carlos Quentin also connected for the White Sox, who have won a season-high five straight.
Before the current run, the White Sox were 52-58. They still have a losing record, but are well within striking distance of first-place Detroit in the AL Central.
“We’ve kind of just been waiting for this all year, really,” Morel said. “We have a lot of potential. It’s kind of been a disappointing year, but knowing that we have a little time left to make a push, hopefully we can keep playing well.”
Gavin Floyd (10-10) gave up three runs in 6 2-3 innings for the White Sox. The Maryland native is 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA lifetime in Baltimore. Coming off a horrid performance against the Yankees in which he surrendered 10 runs in 2 1-3 innings, Floyd improved to 4-1 in his last five starts.
After Floyd left, the bullpen kept Baltimore hitless the rest of the way. Sergio Santos struck out Andino for the final out to earn his 24th save and extend his road scoreless streak to 29 games.
Floyd ended the fifth by retiring Guerrero with a runner on second. In the seventh, after Felix Pie hit a leadoff double and advanced on a sacrifice, J.J. Hardy grounded out to third and former Oriole Will Ohman struck out Markakis.
Making his first start with Baltimore after being obtained on waivers from Toronto, Jo-Jo Reyes (5-9) allowed four runs and five hits in four innings. Both walks he issued came around to score, and he also yielded two home runs.
Chris Jakubauskas followed with four innings of two-hit relief.
“Jak was great,” Showalter said. “He was the reason why we had a chance there.”
Chicago jumped on top with a two-run second inning. After Quentin led off with his 24th home run, Brent Lillibridge walked with two outs and scored on a single by Morel.
Reyes walked leadoff hitter Alexei Ramirez in the third, then got two outs before A.J. Pierzynski doubled in a run. The hit came after Andino missed a tag on Ramirez during a steal of second base.
In the fourth, Morel hit a 3-1 pitch into the left-field seats. He has two home runs in 263 at-bats this season.
Baltimore finally broke through in the fifth. Three straight singles loaded the bases, and Hardy drove in a run with a fielder’s choice. Markakis followed with an RBI single, and another run scored when shortstop Ramirez fumbled Adam Jones’ grounder. Then came the ill-fated double steal attempt.
NOTES: Davis returned after missing four straight games with a sore shoulder. … Chicago RHP Philip Humber (8-8) makes his 20th start of the season Wednesday night. He’s 0-4 with a 7.97 ERA in his last four outings. Baltimore will counter with Tommy Hunter, obtained in a trade with Texas on July 30. In his starting debut with the Orioles, Hunter yielded four runs in four innings in a loss to Toronto. … Pierzynski has four hits in the series after coming to town in an 0-for-12 slump.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Romero had plenty in his arsenal to keep hitters guessing.

“All of his pitches were in the hitter’s mindset because he’s around the plate with them,” Showalter said. “There wasn’t one you could box out. A lot of the times with starters, because of command issues on a certain pitch, you can box it out. You couldn’t do that tonight.”

Romero (8-9) struck out Adam Jones to begin the ninth but was replaced by Jon Rauch after Vladimir Guerrero reached on a wild third strike and Derrek Lee was hit by a pitch. The left-hander allowed four hits, walked three and struck out nine.

Rauch got Matt Wieters and Mark Reynolds to fly out, recording his eighth save in 12 opportunities.

“We had the tying run at the plate and Mark just missed that last one,” Showalter said.

Romero, who threw a season-high 126 pitches, had not won since June 26 at St. Louis, going 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA in four starts. He is 5-1 in his past seven starts against Baltimore, including 4-0 at home.

Baltimore’s best chance came in the second, when Lee drew a leadoff walk and Wieters followed with a single. Mark Reynolds grounded into a double play but Felix Pie walked to put runners on the corners. Romero escaped by retiring his former college roommate at Cal State Fullerton, second baseman Blake Davis.

“That breaking ball looks like a strike and makes you chase it,” Davis said. “He was good.”

The Orioles scored a season-high 12 runs and had 16 hits Tuesday, including a season-high eight for extra bases. They couldn’t get anything going against Romero, who set down 11 of 12 from the second to the sixth.

“We let him off the hook,” Baltimore’s Nick Markakis said. “When you do that against good pitchers and they get in a little groove, it’s tough to battle back the rest of the game.”

Romero said he wasn’t attacking hitters enough in the early innings.

“Started shaky, I wasn’t being aggressive enough,” he said. “Cost me some walks. After that I settled in and put guys away when I had to.”

Returning to the lineup one night after he was hit on the helmet by a pitch, Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista started at third base and singled home a run in the first. Bautista, who leads the majors with 31 home runs, went hitless in his final three at-bats but made a leaping catch on Blake Davis’ liner in the eighth.

The Blue Jays made it 2-0 in the second. Rajai Davis hit a one-out single and stole second and third before scoring on a two-out hit by Eric Thames.

Arencibia hit a two-out drive to left in the fourth, his 16th.

Orioles right-hander Alfredo Simon lost for the third time in four starts since joining the rotation earlier this month. Simon (2-4) allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. He walked two, one intentional, and struck out a season-high seven.

Simon has received just three runs of support in his four starts, all of them in a 6-5 win over Cleveland on July 16.

“That’s part of the game,” Simon said. “I don’t want to say anything to these guys. Romero just threw a good game.”

Baltimore must win Thursday to avoid losing its eighth straight series. The Orioles have not won a series since taking two of three from Cincinnati from June 24-26.

Notes: The Orioles have lost eight of nine on the road. … Toronto had just 22 active players after making two trades earlier Wednesday, dealing RHP Jason Frasor and minor league RHP Zach Stewart to Chicago and sending RHP Octavio Dotel, LHP Marc Rzepczynski and OF Corey Patterson to St. Louis. The Blue Jays recalled LHP Brad Mills from Triple-A Las Vegas to provide depth in the bullpen and will be at full strength Thursday when OF Colby Rasmus, LHP Trever Miller and LHP Brian Tallet arrive from St. Louis, and OF Mark Teahen arrives from the Chicago White Sox. … The Blue Jays signed RHP Jeremy Gabrszwski, their second-round pick in the June draft. … Orioles RHP Brad Bergesen (2-6) will face Toronto RHP Carlos Villanueva (5-2) in Thursday’s series finale.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.